A challenge for democrats

[SNOWBALL]

The reason I vote is so i can get an "I voted" sticker. I love those!

But seriously, it's because even though there is no chance my own vote matters, there is a chance that by voting, I will help to re-enforce the group norm of voting amongst my friends. If you went to a party on election day, would you want to be one of the only ones there without a cool-looking "I voted" sticker. I think not.

Another reason to vote is that is aids certain people in taking you seriously when you talk about politics. No matter how stupid it is, some people simply will not listen to what you have to say about politics if you don't vote. You could always lie, or counterfeit a bunch of "I voted" stickers, but I think my solution is simpler.

I still don't vote for presidential candidates, but that's because I don't think my friends should either. I think we should publically boycott the elections until the two-party system is abolished.

[Dan.]

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I think we should publically boycott the elections until the two-party system is abolished.

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Interestingly, I was coming up with different demostration ideas for just this purpose last night. I was thinking to myself: should I chain myself to a cross in front of my polling place shouting about how the two-party system crucifies us all? Would definitely get me some CNN time.

[hmkpoker]

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Another reason to vote is that is aids certain people in taking you seriously when you talk about politics. No matter how stupid it is, some people simply will not listen to what you have to say about politics if you don't vote. You could always lie, or counterfeit a bunch of "I voted" stickers, but I think my solution is simpler.

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It depends on where you are. Obviously in public, logic and principles are only going to get you so far. Ron Paul is getting more done through chutzpah, rebellion, and saying words like "the constitution" than he ever could through Austrian logic. However on this forum (where the average mind is much more unconventional than the status quo), repetition and charisma just make you look like a boob. It's much more reasonable for me to talk about voting not mattering here than it is for me to speak frankly on the matter in public.

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I still don't vote for presidential candidates, but that's because I don't think my friends should either. I think we should publically boycott the elections until the two-party system is abolished.

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How exactly do you want that to be done? I mean, there are more than two parties, it just happens that people just keep usually picking from the same two.

[HeavilyArmed]

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You know that your actions in an election do not matter. You are not going to change the direction of the election. The same cannot be said of the elite. The executives of FOX News and CNN, on the other hand, can spin coverage any way they want to, and cause a very significant shift in the election.

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You're also vastly overestimating the pull of cable news. Irregardless, I do not see this as a problem since people are not forced to get their news from these organizations.

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Dan Rather and the 'fake but accurate' TANG memos damn near changed the 2004 election. It was sure to work if they were just a bit more careful.

Large blocs can move on the smallest media instigated fraud. Everyone now expects the very dirtiest moves to be executed on the Friday evening before the election.

[The once and future king]

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All democracy does is mask the complete and utter futility of the everyman by giving him a meaningless vote between two pre-selected candidates.

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No one seem to have taken any notice, but I will again point out that at the very least the above definition is totally yankcentric as a definition of Democracy.

Given that nearly all other democratic systems dont work the same way as Yank democracy the above definition is therefore almost meaningless unless you qualify it as a discussion about yank democracy specifically.